The Stepping Stones of Type Design
Faculty
Ksenya Samarskaya
Creative Director, Samarskaya & Partners
Course length
Duration
Total hours
Credits
Language
Course type
Fee for single course
Fee for degree students
Skills you’ll learn
Overview
After immersing ourselves into the world of existing typography, and honing our skills in discussing, classifying, and hunting for fonts, sometimes we reach a dead end: the typeface that meets our objectives doesn’t yet exist.
In this module we’ll start the descent into the tower of making our own typeface. Working individually or in small groups, participants will fast forward through the process of dictating a project brief, sketching ideas, drawing, correcting for proper point structure, spacing, and kerning their typeface. Additionally, each participant will conduct research and be responsible for a presentation on a chosen segment of the unicode.
At the end of the module, the participants will come away with an operable OpenType font they can apply to their other coursework and future design projects.
Learning highlights
- Learn about the nitty gritty of type design
- Navigate the creation of fonts as an individual project or as a relay
- Explore different areas of the unicode
- Complete a workable, functional typeface
Course outline
3 classes
Lectures & Discussions
- Select a typographic style or category to work on
- Select an area of unicode to research and design
- Select your team for the term of the module
Assignments
- Setting objectives for the typeface: you
can’t score without a goal
- Individually sketch type ideas and concepts
- Select roles for the group (art director, unicode x expert, typographer, etc.)
Type Design Phase I
- Initial sketches, and isolating key characteristics
- Bezier curves and software primer
- Drawing the controls: HODnop
Type Design Phase II
- Building out the alphabet
- Individual work-sessions
Discussions & Presentations
- Field trips & visiting guests: what’s it like to work as a type designer?
- Group critiques of in-progress projects
- Unicode presentations
Type Design Phase III
- Finalizing the alphabet
- Touching on spacing, kerning, and typesetting
- Using our freshly made fonts in a layout, and celebrating its completion
Discussion
- Group critiques of in-progress projects
Unicode presentations
- What next? How to keep learning and perfecting your skill after this module is over.
Prerequisites
This course is one of three in a wholistic series.
Students that have already taken MSL-111 and those with prior experience with HTML, CSS, and Javascript building simple web pages will be good candidates for this module.
Ksenya Samarskaya is the founding member of Samarskaya & Partners, drafting type to push against the limits of technology, radiate legibly on small screens, and trigger nuanced algorithms of emotion and history.
Clients and collaborators include Adobe, Apple, Best Made Co., Birnam Wood, Design MW, Font Bureau, Google, Frere-Jones, Hoefler & Co., Ideo, JaegerSloan, Light+Ladder, McCann, MCKL, Monotype, Snoop Dogg, Trollback + Co., WeWork, and YouTube.
See full profileApply for this course
The Stepping Stones of Type Design
by Ksenya Samarskaya
Total hours
45 Hours
Dates
Mar 12 - Mar 30, 2018
Fee for single course
€1500
Fee for degree students
€750
How to secure your spot
Complete the form below to kickstart your application
Schedule your Harbour.Space interview
If successful, get ready to join us on campus
FAQ
Will I receive a certificate after completion?
Yes. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate signed by the director of the program your course belonged to.
Do I need a visa?
This depends on your case. Please check with the Spanish or Thai consulate in your country of residence about visa requirements. We will do our part to provide you with the necessary documents, such as the Certificate of Enrollment.
Can I get a discount?
Yes. The easiest way to enroll in a course at a discounted price is to register for multiple courses. Registering for multiple courses will reduce the cost per individual course. Please ask the Admissions Office for more information about the other kinds of discounts we offer and what you can do to receive one.